Generally, a laundry treatment apparatus is a generic term for an apparatus that washes laundry (e.g., objects to be washed or objects to be dried), an apparatus that dries laundry, and an apparatus that may perform both washing and drying of laundry.
Conventional laundry treatment apparatuses are classified into front loading type laundry treatment apparatuses which are configured such that laundry is introduced through an introduction aperture formed in the front surface of the apparatus and top loading type laundry treatment apparatuses configured such that laundry is introduced through an introduction aperture formed in the upper surface of the apparatus.
A top loading type laundry treatment apparatus includes a tub having an introduction aperture formed in the upper surface of the apparatus, a drum rotatably provided inside the tub, and a door for opening and closing the introduction aperture.
Some conventional laundry treatment apparatuses having the configuration described above are devised to have a minimum volume in order to wash only a very small amount of laundry. Such a laundry treatment apparatus having a minimum volume has the feature of a very small distance between the introduction aperture and the upper end of the drum.
Impurities which are generated inside the tub when the drum is rotated to wash laundry may remain on the door. That is, because a water stream is generated inside the tub while the drum is rotated, there is the possibility that bubbles, which are generated as the detergent are dissolved, or contaminants discharged from the laundry during washing may remain on the door or inside the drum after the washing is completed.
In addition, in the conventional laundry treatment apparatus, when the bubbles or contaminants remain on the inner surface of the door or on the circumferential surface of the drum despite the completion of washing, a user may erroneously determine that the washing of laundry is not completed or may suspect the failure of the laundry treatment apparatus.
In the conventional laundry treatment apparatus, it is not necessary to minimize the volume of the laundry treatment apparatus, with the result that the tub is relatively high, and the wash water is not stored up to the upper surface of the tub. Even when bubbles are generated, therefore, consideration may not be given to the fact that the bubbles may be stuck to the door. Bubbles or impurities generated during washing of laundry may remain on the door, with the result that the bubbles or the impurities may be stuck to the laundry after the washing is completed, thereby reducing washing efficiency.
In the conventional laundry treatment apparatus, when the pressure of the wash water flowing in the additional flow channel is excessively increased, the flow channel may be broken, with the result that the wash water may leak or the wash water may flow backward. The conventional laundry treatment apparatus does not prevent bubbles from being generated in the drum.